[Leer en español] As we age, we assess our life’s achievements. We might feel a wisdom seemingly backed by life experiences. Some people sigh for their best years that have already passed, while others emotionally prepare for the transition of this life into another state, which we in the West know as death.
As we age, our desires transform into wanting for praise, recognition, fame or a legacy to leave behind. We hold onto various desires that keep us unsatisfied. This is where the practice of yoga becomes important in the life of an older adult.
Based on experience working with older adults, most of whom are retired, we encounter several situations typical of this stage of life: changes in financial wealth, treatment for various age-related ailments, family relationships—some proactive, and others less fortunate—and the uncertainty of the years to come, understanding that we are nearing the end of our time on this earthly plane. These are some examples of what is dealt with constantly.
Each of these individuals comes to the practice of yoga seeking to attend to their physical health, feel better, sleep better, be at peace in their hearts, view the aging process positively, and enjoy every minute that life gifts them. Without exaggerating, 90% of the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the past 20 years have achieved their goals.
I can summarize this achievement by saying the practice of yoga gradually becomes a lifestyle, permeating and expanding our consciousness, liberating our thoughts, releasing old attachments and conceptions, and fostering a desire to learn from new experiences. Neuroscience refers to this new attitude as neuroplasticity, which allows for the formation of new neural connections in the brain.
Certainly, the practice of Yoga is not only beneficial to older adults, but for human beings at any stage of life—kids, teenagers, and adults. At the University of Panamá’s department of Work and the Third Age, people aged between 20 and 75 attend yoga classes. These groups are heterogenous. Each person works at their own rhythm and with full awareness. They discover more about themselves than they thought possible, and they begin to become more reflective and grateful individuals.
—Miriam Sealy de Rodríguez